Here are Lamont’s answers in a Thursday webinar with Hearst Connecticut Media Group Columnist and Editor Dan Haar.

Haar also spoke to David Lewis, the CEO of OperationsInc in Norwalk and Judith Roll, owner of the Tabouli Grill and Judy’s Bar & Kitchen in Stamford.

Click the link above to watch the entire webcast.

DAN HAAR: Was it a misstep to change the opening of barber shops and hair salons from May 20 to June 1?

NED LAMONT: COVID is fast moving. We had May 20 for the opening, but then had hundreds of hair stylists say they needed extra time. Sorry we had to change the date, but we had to find the right balance.

NL: Today I was at Gay City State Park in Hebron. Annie (my wife) and I will be going out to dinner with some friends on Friday night.

DH: The reopening seemed a little slow with not many people going out to restaurants and businesses.

NL: People have been cautious. Consumers have to feel a sense of confidence and feel secure. Maybe they will walk by a restaurant to see if people are wearing masks. Give the place a second look. Slow and steady and is fine with me.

DH: Hotels could open on June 20. Will that really happen?

NL: A month is a lifetime in coronavirus years. We will have a clearer indication if that will happen in the first or second week of June. We think we can open hotels then, but we need real guidance to open them safely.

DH: Are you worried about an influx of people from New York and New Jersey coming to Connecticut restaurants and hotels?

NL: In March, I was terrified of that with hotels and short-term rentals. By June 20, I think we will feel more confident to rent or stay at a hotel.

DH: Do people have a right to be angry with all these restrictions in place with the coronavirus pandemic?

NL: I am frustrated too, but circumstances change. I think people will feel more confident in August.

DH: If it could be done with proper social distancing is there any chance of having high school graduations in June?

NL: June is just too early. For July and August, we’ll take another look at that. Maybe have drive-thru or Zoom graduations. I know it’s weird, but kids will never forget their graduation.

DH: Is there anything you wish we did sooner?

NL: I wish we saw the risk sooner in nursing homes. That’s where the tragedy was; testing should have been faster and much sooner. Only if we acted a week sooner.

DH: Child care is a big issue. Are parents on their own?

NL: We never shut down daycare, but over half voluntarily closed. We are working to increase daycare and open summer camps that should be some help for parents.

We’re in a tight fiscal situation; revenue has collapsed, but we’re trying to ramp up child-care programs. There is a chance we can allow sleep-away camps, but the key piece of doing that is testing.

DH: Overall, where would you rank Connecticut on how it responded to the pandemic?

NL: We’re in the top ten of states in finances and I think we did a good job. I’m proud of Connecticut; we took politics out of it. Connecticut did very well.